Historically, major record labels stood between artists and potential fans due in large part to the labels' ability to control and enhance artists' access and visibility to the public and also due to the labels' unique ability to increase exposure and availability of artists' music for listening, purchase and licensing opportunities. For example, at the turn of the century, major record labels still wielded near-exclusive control over the most trusted, known and used sales and distribution channels. One must remember that all these channels were extremely inaccessible from the average musician/artist's perspective in order to understand why bands were hoping nonetheless to sign with one of ‘Big Six’ (at the time) despite the fact that the few of the bands and artists who actually did sign, actually signed extremely unfavorable, one-sided contracts. The major labels' ability to provide massive scale and exposure for the respective artists who they signed was further bolstered by what amounted to a near-exclusive power to promote artists' music on the radio and through other media, ensure radio play, boost album and ticket sales, and to generally increase overall awareness for their respective artists' music. The major labels stranglehold over the entire process was so severe that they were able to sign artists to extremely one-sided contracts with relative ease. Many artists composed songs on the subject, specifically addressing “selling out” and related themes and topics, even after they signed with major record labels ultimately demonstrating how limited their options truly were when it came to somehow generating massive exposure for their music and/or band.
Traditionally, Independent Artists, Filmmakers, Producers and various types of other Artists and Content-Creators (for example: fashion designers, animators, photographers, authors, surfers, etc.) have faced a disconnect when attempting to share, promote, sell, or otherwise make their work, art, craft, skill, work, hobby, etc. known to the most relevant fans who may not even be aware that such an art, skill, genre, etc. exists. For example, even with the major streaming platforms currently allowing artists and content-creators to stream their respective content, the artists and content-creators also face the unique and distinct challenge of introducing potential fans to their music, and to inform fans (and potential fans) that their content is available to stream and/or otherwise accessible/available for download/for sale/etc. on whatever streaming platform(s), digital storefront, etc. that hosts their songs, videos, photos, etc. and processes related transactions, etc.
Major record labels have long been considered a powerful, yet self-serving ‘one-stop shop’ for artists determined to increase awareness and/or recognition for their music, and/or increase revenue generated by their music (e.g. downloads, streams, tickets, related merchandise, etc.) due to the major labels' ability to finance, produce, promote their music, and increase distribution, sales and overall awareness and/or demand for their artists' music and work. The vast majority of independent artists' music, however, did not (and still does not) fit into the long-since-merged, but still very involved, remaining ‘Big 3’ major labels' rigid, profit-driven paradigm of marketable music applied to attract maximum potential consumers and, ultimately, to increase revenue as opposed to any genuine art-driven interests or motive in many cases. The ultimate effect is a general public extremely unaware of a gigantic variety of unique, original, often times very high-quality productions (simply based on huge advances in recording technology, etc.) although, perhaps, niche music and video genres, artforms, fashion, etc. that people are creating in and making their work and other creations, etc. available for others to enjoy, access, support, etc.
On account of the recently begun digital and mobile commerce revolutions which continue with advances into unchartered territory just about daily at this present time, Independent Artists, Filmmakers, Authors, Content-Creators (comprised by an enormous variety of generations, backgrounds, eras, styles, etc.), Producers, Publishers, etc. have a tremendous abundance of options at their disposal for creating, financing, producing, promoting, sharing, distributing and monetizing their work, etc. Technology's role in facilitating the ability for just about any one of the presently estimated 3+ billion people on the web to execute each and every one of these endeavors cannot be overstated. Most of those fields, industries, endeavors, etc. happen to be the exact same benefits, perks, assistance, etc. that used to be (and, for many in the general public including artists, still are) associated with signing a contract with a major record label (i.e., means to increase visibility, exposure, demand, etc. for artists and their work, means to monetize artists' work through what approximately two-to-three decades ago amounted to effectively impossible-to-access distribution channels, networks {media and otherwise}, etc.) but, in the last decade, have become far more accessible and ubiquitous, which has created a never-before-enjoyed ease/accessibility of creating, producing, recording, editing, mixing, mastering, posting, sharing, and delivering content directly to fans and/or consumers (and/or potential fans, etc.) through products and platforms, nearly none of which even came into existence until a little more than a decade into this 21st century.
The digital and mobile commerce revolutions have enabled artists, bands, singers, musicians, content-creators, etc. to avoid one-sided contracts with major record labels, whose reign as the only provider of large-scale access to consumers has finally come to an end. The general public appears mostly unaware and/or unaffected by the drastic changes within the recording industry, despite the fact that these massive changes only began at the turn of the century and remain ongoing. Furthermore, despite the very recent, very significant underlying shift in the recording industry's landscape, the remaining ‘Big Three’ are still extremely involved in both the music and tech landscapes, primarily perhaps because the two of them have grown to be so intertwined themselves. For example, nearly every major web-based, digital download and streaming platform, etc. (e.g. iTunes, Pandora, etc.) has brokered deals with the ‘Big Three’—collectively or independently—for the legal right, among others, to offer each labels' respective catalogue of songs to their customers for download, stream, etc.
Presently, independent artists, content-creators, etc. have an abundance of tools and technology at their disposal, but the primary goal of nearly all of the companies providing said tools and technology at the present time is to establish and/or maintain the viability and profitability of their respective business(es) as opposed to building anything that actually functions as a genuine, effective resource for independent artists and other content-creators, who lack the financing and marketing power of one of the major record labels. The remaining major labels, while reduced in number from “the Big Six” a little less than two decades ago to just the ‘Big Three’ today have been successful at establishing a strong foothold in the majority of newer, primarily web-based revenue streams available to artists at this time. Providing access to the catalogues of the ‘Big 3’ was, and continues to be, a significant expense for all web-based download and streaming hubs, providers, etc. that negotiated for the right to offer songs, the rights to which are owned and controlled by each of the major record labels comprising the ‘Big 3’. That is one reason, perhaps, why none of the web-based streaming/download providers appears to recognize or to be working towards featuring, promoting or otherwise providing the general public with access to the plethora of artists, bands, etc. who are creating outside of the sales-driven/marketability paradigm that seems to influence which artists the ‘Big 3’ offers contracts to—often at the expense of the more original artists creating and trying to share more unique songs, sounds, messages, videos, creative endeavors, etc.